liqdsilver

I have a 92 jeep xj and having engine issues. Not sure if I'm posting this correctly but here it is.
Have new stage 2 engine. Have a k&n air intake, 62mm throttle body, throttle spacer, pacesetter headers, flowkooler waterpump, champion 2 row radiator, 180 t-stat, new distributor, new wires, new coolant temp. Sending sensor, new clutch fan (tried a zj fan, wouldn't fit with new radiator), new fuel filter, new fuel pump, new o2 sensor.
Now temp gauge is saying I'm overheating. But I'm not.. used temp gun and reading 220 after 30 min idle. Checked different parts of engine and rad hoses. Gauge shows "red" but no bubbling coolant nor steam, etc. Gauge is obviously not reading correctly. Can someone confirm?
Everything is new and working...even flushed system just to be sure. Temp seems ok from reading on temp gun.
Gauge just messed up? How to reset (if able)?

Next, after driving it a few miles it just shuts off. Thought fuel pump....replaced and still doing it, replaced fuel filter...no luck. Won't restart till it sits for a min. Possible ecu or something thinking it's overheating and shuts off for safety (not sure that exists especially on a 92 xj)?

5th gear seems not to have really any power either. It will cruise but not produce much get up. Correlated to just random shut off?

Does not have symptoms of blown head gasket (thank God)

What is going on?? I'm lost a need your guys' help
Thanks

Turbo X_J

^
Would be better off posting in tech. 220 is kinda warm, how hot when it shuts down? How often has this happened?

BlueRidgeMark

Modified tech.

Turbo X_J

Not even an opinion? just "move it"?

salad

First step is to pull codes. Look up the "key trick" and see if the PCM spits any out. It flashes the CEL so if your bulb is toast this won't work.

As for the temperature gauge, the sending units used in that generation are usually quite faulty. Worse yet the PCM uses a different sensor.

Whip out your multimeter and measure the resistance for the little sensor in the thermostat housing and an almost identical unit that lives in the back of the head. It will be sideways with a cable and plug.

Values should match this chart:



When was the last tune-up?

BlueRidgeMark

Well, since only the mods can move threads....

liqdsilver

Yeah, new to posting anything on here or online for that matter..
but anyway, it's steady at 210-220. Stays there at shut down. With the temp gun, I got 210-220 just between the thermostat and waterpump on the head. Took another reading at back of head just under #6 spark plug this read 190-200. Seem odd? Definitely need a new gauge.

liqdsilver

Will try, but I believe the bulb is burned out...

As for the gauge, I think I'll just let that one go

Will test everything with the multimeter and let you guys know

Tune up has been a while. Just did oil change right before new engine. New engine was put in about 3 weeks ago now

salad

So spark plugs, wires, distributor cap are all three weeks old?

liqdsilver

Correct. And whole distributor not just cap

liqdsilver

Pulled codes from "key trick" (light not burned out)
Got codes 22 and 41 which is coolant sensor and alternator field switch.

Would the alternator field switch code shut the engine down while driving? Alternator bad? Seems probable..?

Used multimeter on coolant sensor but reading didn't match chart...unless I'm not testing correctly.. did get code though. Did replace sensor and still getting code so I'm not sure what to do. Ideas?

BlueRidgeMark

Hmmm. Fair warning: I'm not sure on the 92, but on later Cherokees, there's a Cam Position Sensor (CPS*) in the distributor. If you got an aftermarket distributor, you also got an aftermarket CPS. (I found this out just a couple of months ago when my dealer-installed distributor's CPS went south on me.) Sensors on these beasties are very touchy - most recommend sticking with OEM only. No aftermarket versions, as these are known to be very unreliable, even bad out of the box. Mine lasted about 9 months then flaked out rather dramatically. This might be your problem, but I'd look elsewhere first and keep it in the back of your mind.

The elsewhere I'd look first is to your grounds. Another point on which our beasts are very finicky is the grounds. Cruise on over to cruiser54's site and see what he has to say about cleaning up your grounds. It's not a guaranteed cure, but it's cheap, not particularly difficult, and an All Around Good Thing to do. And, it just might solve your problem.



*CPS also means Crank Position Sensor, which is a more common problem area than the Cam sensor. Some refer to it as the CkPS to differentiate them (makes sense to me), but most folks just call them both CPS. It can be confusing.